


Formula For a Fun Night

by blueteak



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cousins, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:42:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22595716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueteak/pseuds/blueteak
Summary: Jess and April establish a tradition.
Relationships: Jess Mariano & April Nardini
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Formula For a Fun Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [avocadomoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avocadomoon/gifts).



> I loved your canon divergence prompt about Luke having always known about April, so this is set in a universe where he has visitation rights with April while Jess is living with him.

"Hey," Jess said as April came in, glancing up at her for half a second before returning to his book. This was an improvement on the first few times he’d been there when April was dropped off for her weekend visits.

In fact, the first time April had been dropped off after Jess had come to live with Luke, she’d felt like she was practically alone. Jess had looked over at her now and then when he thought she wasn’t aware (though she totally had been), probably to make sure she was still healthy and un-kidnapped or in any kind of state that would get him killed by Luke for not having looked out for her properly.

At first April had been a little hurt that her mysterious, James Dean-looking cousin didn’t seem to want to get to know her, despite her mother saying that there were moody teenage boys and then there were moody teenage boys related to Luke. Her mother had hinted that there was something going on with Jess’s mother…who April realized was technically her aunt, even though no one had ever actually come out and told April she had an aunt. April got the sense that her mother wished she didn't have to know as much as she did about Luke’s relatives and how they all felt about one another. 

But none of that awkwardness came up with Jess when they were on their own. Even during their first time alone together, the silence had become comfortable roughly half an hour in. And, if April was honest, more comfortable than it was when Luke was around. Though these overnight visits had been going on for a while now, Luke still seemed to be trying to perform a role, like he was trying to act like he thought she wanted him to and combining that with whatever he'd read about what good fathers did these days. He was doing well, but it was a little…strained.

Things with Jess weren’t strained. They just were. And whatever they were, they were quiet, and allowed April to do her homework and reading for pleasure in peace. 

Over time, April started noticing that Jess probably cared about her beyond hoping that she didn't die on his watch or something. Snacks that she liked started showing up when she was scheduled for a weekend at Luke’s. These weren’t the type of snacks Luke would have banned, but he wouldn't have thought of them either. Jess must have paid attention to what she'd finished the fastest that time she'd come home with a lot of extra snacks that had come home with her as a result of a cancelled field trip. 

April had thanked Jess (out of Luke’s earshot, because she didn’t want Luke feeling guilty about not getting her favorite food or want to embarrass Jess, who seemed to want to keep quiet about his services to snackdom), and he had pretended not to know what she meant. Still, she had found an extra bag of trail mix under her pillow the next time she slept over.

And tonight, in addition to the glance up when she arrived, April got a bag of her favorite pita chips and a copy of A Wrinkle in Time. Jess had left them on the desk Luke had set up for her. 

April stared at the book, tears coming to her eyes. This book, unlike the snacks, seemed like an invitation, like Jess was sharing something with her that he enjoyed and thought she would too. 

“I’m sorry it’s not Chemistry-related,” Jess said, sounding hesitant. “I could always give you my Chemistry textbook…I never go near it anyway and If I go down for anything, I’d like it to be for stealing a textbook for my genius cousin.”

April hugged the book to herself. “I don’t want your Chemistry textbook, Jess. I love that you got me this book. Thank you.”

Jess nodded, looking more assured. “I thought you might,” he said, and went back to his own book. 

Luke came home to find them still wrapped up in their reading. 

“It’s awfully quiet in here,” he said. “And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but do you want to do what Lorelei and Rory do and have a movie night? Wait, hold on, it won’t be exactly what Rory and Lorelei do because there’s no way on earth we’re eating that much sugar or that much food, period. But we can pick out a movie we’ll all like, have some snacks…what do you say?”

April smiled. “We could try to find something we all want to see…or you can join Jess and me for book night with snacks. We’ve been having them every visit and they’re just as fun.”

“And more quiet,” Jess said, smiling. He threw a book at Luke. “Here, read this.”

“Will I hate it?” Luke asked.

“Yes,” Jess and April replied at the same time. 

“But if you don’t want it, you’re welcome to my Chemistry textbook,” Jess offered. 

Luke took the book that had been thrown at him, and the Nardini and Mariano book night became the Nardini and Mariano and Danes book night.


End file.
